Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lusaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lusaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $855 in Lusaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,450 in Lusaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,045 in Lusaka.

Living in Medellin is roughly 21% more expensive than in Lusaka, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Lusaka 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.01 ZMW 128

-12.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$24.68 ZMW 449

32.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.70 ZMW 67.3

98.38%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.93 ZMW 35.10

-10.88%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.67 ZMW 12.24

56.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.34 ZMW 6.16

126.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.94 ZMW 17.14

79.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.84 ZMW 33.48

72.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.33 ZMW 24.30

-21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.80 ZMW 14.63

62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.58 ZMW 28.69

-11.39%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.77 ZMW 32.25

22.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.92 ZMW 144

-44.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.78 ZMW 68.8

55.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$4.74 ZMW 86.2

82.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.57 ZMW 46.79

-11.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.57 ZMW 28.62

-29.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.71 ZMW 49.35

-43.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.16 ZMW 21.15

16.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.80 ZMW 32.84

-37.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.33 ZMW 24.17

-15.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

-7.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.51 ZMW 9.37

78.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.54 ZMW 46.29

-7.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.63 ZMW 194

16.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.09 ZMW 19.75

10.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.57 ZMW 28.52

58.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.96 ZMW 17.51

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$39.17 ZMW 713

3.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.78 ZMW 50.7

-48.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.17 ZMW 21.32

64.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$9.20 ZMW 167

-16.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.19 ZMW 21.75

-16.81%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$7,891 ZMW 143.6K

128.49%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$28.4K ZMW 517.4K

-6.34%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$90.7 ZMW 1,651

-10.91%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$53.4 ZMW 972

-81.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$123 ZMW 2,239

-80.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$45.44 ZMW 827

-44.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$13.65 ZMW 248

40.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.25 ZMW 77.4

-6.35%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$305 COP 993.4K

$178 ZMW 3,232

71.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$9,462 ZMW 172.2K

-35.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$18.67 ZMW 340

211.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$17.20 ZMW 313

87.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$84.5 ZMW 1,539

19.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$72.2 ZMW 1,314

49.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$228 ZMW 4,157

108.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$125 ZMW 2,273

201.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,028 ZMW 18.7K

-17.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$593 ZMW 10.8K

23.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,886 ZMW 34.3K

70.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$14.2K ZMW 258.2K

-90.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$287 ZMW 5,215

115.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-46.28%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $228 in Lusaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 115% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Lusaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $178 per month, with Lusaka cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Lusaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Lusaka differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $855 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 115% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $228 in Lusaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $855 in Lusaka – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lusaka runs roughly 4% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $855 in Lusaka versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lusaka but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Lusaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Lusaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.